C1755 There Was Something Strange Going on

Shi Jing'er had informed Yu Yuan that just two nights prior, Shadow's Keep had been assaulted by a Rift Cutter.

"It's unlikely to be the Nagas or Zhong Chichen."

Yu Yuan pondered for a moment before shaking his head, "My esteemed senior brother has been dispatched elsewhere on duties; he shouldn't be in the Everlands. As for Loong Jie, he's too busy and lacks knowledge of space magic."

Upon hearing this, Shi Jing'er, Jun Chen, and the others exchanged puzzled glances.

Zhong Chichen, the Chronowyrm, had mastered the essence of space and time. After ascending to a higher plane of existence, would such an old dragon readily obey another's command?

Unaware of the events in the Ashlands or that Loong Jie's challenge to Lin Daoke was orchestrated by Yu Yuan, they were perplexed. Zhou Xiao had glimpsed wonders in the Ashlands but was oblivious to Yu Yuan directing Zhong Chichen to the Dark Star to carve out a spatial passage. He, too, suspected the Chronowyrm of attacking Shadow's Keep.

"If my senior brother intended to strike at Shadow's Keep, he would have sought my counsel first, so it seems improbable."

Yu Yuan was confident that Zhong Chichen was uninvolved, furrowing his brow in thought, "Apart from him, no one possesses the strength to target the Dark Deity. Those harboring ill will towards Shadow's Keep either lack the courage or the power."

The individuals he considered were either deceased in the Everlands or Ashlands, or their power was concentrated in the Abyss, making it unlikely they could have done as Shi Jing'er described.

The Origin Deity, now merely a soul, was so frail that he could only exist within President Lyi's body, concealed within the Earthfire.

Should his feeble spirit dare to emerge in the Everlands, it would be a death wish.

"If not Zhong Chichen, then it's quite the mystery. I'm at a loss for other suspects," Shi Jing'er admitted, baffled.

"Let's set that aside for the moment. Has a Starborn lady named Denise been seen in the Everlands?" Yu Yuan inquired. He had promised Ballo he would keep an eye out for her when they parted ways.

He returned to the Everlands this time for two reasons: to escort Liu Ying's real body and to keep an eye on Denise. Given that Soul-Capturing was lurking within Denise, it was unclear what its intentions were.

"I'm aware of the situation," Feng Zhong said, recalling the events. "She first appeared in the Marsh, claiming she was heading to the Rainbow Ocean. She intended to use the teleportation circle there, but Xuanli from the Bloodbrawlers beat her to it and personally escorted her away."

Feng Zhong furrowed his brow, puzzled. "Why? Do you know her?"

"I do," Yu Yuan confirmed with a nod.

"Then..."

Feng Zhong's face tensed as he quickly added, "We've remained neutral in our conflicts with the Starborn, and since the girl willingly chose to go with Xuanli, we allowed it. Should there be any cause for concern, shall I send Zhou You to check on the Bloodbrawlers right away?"

In the Land of Quiescence, a cultivator skilled in space magic and at the Unbound level could reach the Bloodbrawlers in an instant.

"Since Xuanli personally took charge and she consented, there's no issue," Yu Yuan reassured, gesturing dismissively. He thought that intervening now might inadvertently spoil Soul-Capturing's plans.

He decided to wait and observe. Once Soul-Capturing made a move, he would discreetly monitor any unusual activity at the Root of the Lunar Meridian beneath the Land of Terror.

"I've brought Liu Ying to you!" Zhou You announced upon his swift return. He brought forward a somewhat groggy Liu Ying, explaining with a smile, "Cultivators new to the Solar Spirit Realm are more vulnerable when their Solar Spirit travels to extraterrestrial realms. At this stage, to sync with their Solar Spirit, they must either meditate or rest."

"The young lady just woke up. Her real body is separate from her Solar Spirit, so she's unaware of recent events."

"Oh, and there's him!" Zhou You gestured behind him to reveal Tong Laoqian, his large head emerging, his body quivering with rolls of fat.

Tong Laoqian, his face aglow, sported gold and silver rings on each of his fingers and had copper coins dangling from his clothing. He burst into hearty laughter and exclaimed, "Yu, you've really done me a great honor! I always knew I had an eye for talent, haha!"

Standing next to Tong Laoqian were Zheng Luanjie and Qi Lingyu from the Skyreach Consortium, who had come to see Yu Yuan after hearing of his arrival.

"I'll have you know, joining your Skyreach Consortium was a favor to you, a nod to President Shi!" Tong Laoqian declared with an air of self-satisfaction.

Liu Ying was still in a state of bewilderment, unsure of what was unfolding. She glanced around, trying to make sense of the situation, until she caught a subtle nod from the stoic Jun Chen, which prompted her to break into a sweet smile.

She was aware of the connection between Jun Chen and her master, and she also knew that her presence in the Skyreach Consortium was made possible because Jun Chen was the most esteemed counselor in the organization.

"Have you advanced to the Unbound Realm?" Yu Yuan asked Tong Laoqian with a smile.

"Absolutely, I'm not making this up. The Consortium assisted me in breaking through to the Unbound Realm," Tong Laoqian replied earnestly. "I once considered joining the Boulderdawn, but I'm not well-acquainted with those extraterrestrial folks. Besides, my cultivation path is set, and it wouldn't be wise to start practicing the Boulderdawn's Mind Magic now."

"The Consortium, with its vast wealth, has allowed me to refine all manner of gold, silver, and gems, which has been immensely beneficial to my personal growth," Tong Laoqian admitted candidly.

"No worries, it's a pleasure to see you've achieved a breakthrough to the Unbound Realm," Yu Yuan responded with a smile.

"I'm still leagues behind you, though!" Tong Laoqian boasted, his pride swelling. He turned to Zheng Luanjie, Qi Lingyu, Feng Zhong, and the others, saying, "You all remember, don't you? It was I who chose the correct path in the Sundering Isles. I spared no expense in crafting the Jade Tower, which saved him from harm!"

"Of course, we remember," they all nodded in agreement.

"My meticulously crafted Jade Tower was destroyed, but it paved the way for my carefree existence today!" Tong Laoqian proclaimed unabashedly. "Without that decision, there would be no Tong Laoqian as you see me now, no mastery of the Unbound Realm. The Consortium used to underestimate me, looking down their noses. What were the terms you offered when you first tried to recruit me?"

The executives of the Skyreach Consortium were left somewhat awkward by his remarks, yet they refrained from further comment.

After all, Yu Yuan was present.

"How is Qin Yun doing?" Yu Yuan deftly shifted the conversation.

"Old Qin is with the Yu family in the Serpent Spine Mountains. He had intended to let his Solar Spirit soar beyond our world, refining it with the psionic powers of the Star River," Tong Laoqian sighed, his voice tinged with concern. "But the current turmoil is too great. Until you managed to drive Han Miaoyuan away, they were abducting people all over the extraterrestrial realms, leading to widespread conflict."

"I'm the one who urged Old Qin to remain in the Everlands for the time being, to avoid rushing off to the extraterrestrial. I've searched far and wide, and there's no place safer than here in the Everlands."

Qin Yun, having recently ascended to a Solar Spirit, would be untouchable if he stayed within the Everlands, particularly in the Serpent Spine Mountains.

The Yu family, descendants of the God of Ghosts Youyu and Yu Yuan's kin in this life, are respected by the Boulderdawn sect. They wouldn't dare cause trouble, and Han Miaoyuan, still hoping for Youyu's aid against Loong Jie in the future, wouldn't target them.

Qin Yun is safe in the Everlands, but venturing out is a gamble.

"That's wise."

Yu Yuan nodded in agreement, seeing the wisdom in Tong Laoqian's advice.

"Liu Ying, you should accompany Yu Yuan to the Ashlands. Given that the Starpierced Armor is there, and he has come specifically to escort you, it should be safe," Jun Chen said with a hint of envy. "The Ashlands are inhospitable to our people, fraught with peril. Without someone to lead the way, it's far too risky."

Indeed, he had once stood at the threshold of the Ashlands, contemplating exploration, but ultimately he refrained.

At the entrance, he had encountered Demon Gods and notorious platinum Shura, along with other malevolent creatures from various races.

The combat prowess of humans is diminished in the Ashlands, and knowing the risks, he wisely chose to withdraw.

"Oh."

Gradually, Liu Ying came to her senses, her eyes shimmering with awareness. "Where is my Solar Spirit?"

"I've already taken it ahead," Yu Yuan assured her with a confident glance.

"Alright."

"No rush. We'll wait a few more days."

...

Two days later, the Land of Terror underwent a transformation. Luo Yue, Taruer, and Razses, the three Ghost Kings, each sought aid from the Bloodbrawlers and the Skyreach Consortium, reporting a severed soul connection with the River Styx.

"It's happening!"

Yu Yuan was not alarmed but pleased. He nodded with a smile and called forth the Dragon Slaying Stage from within his body's acupoint.

Holding the Dragon Slaying Stage, he activated his "Third Eye" to scrutinize the changes in the Land of Terror, much like Zu Ann would.

A manifestation of his consciousness appeared abruptly over the Land of Terror, shining like an unseen beacon, casting light upon the shadowy realm below.

Every ghost and spirit became visible under his watchful presence.

The Land of Terror, a place he knew well, now seemed like a scaled-down world where nothing within or around Shadow Mountain could elude his scrutiny.

His consciousness seeped further down, revealing several branches of the River Styx that were intimately connected to the Ghost Kings.

"Hmm?"

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